1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid electrophotographic printer and, more particularly, to a photoreceptor web for a liquid electrophotographic printer that is a medium on which an image is developed and the developed image is printed on a sheet of paper.
2. Description of the Related Art
An electrophotographic printer makes a photographic recording of an image formed by the alteration in electrical properties of the sensitive materials, induced by the action of light. An example of a typical electrophotographic printer is a color laser printer. The color laser printer uses a laser beam to reproduce images or text on a photosensitive medium such as a photosensitive belt to which toner is applied. Where the light strikes the photosensitive belt, it will hold developer for transfer to a sheet of paper.
A color laser printer will include a photoreceptor web, a development unit, and a transfer unit. A laser scanner unit forms an electrostatic latent image by scanning a laser beam onto the photoreceptor web. Multiple rollers circulates the photoreceptor web, while a development unit develops the image to be printed on a transfer surface of the photoreceptor web. The developed image on the photoreceptor web is transferred to the paper when it passes the transfer unit.
In the development and transfer process, the photoreceptor web has an image zone where an image is developed and an interval zone between one image zone and the next image zone. The photoreceptor web has some excess developer that is commonly called a drip line. The drip line is periodically wiped off to allow for a clear print on paper.
Therefore, in manufacturing a photoreceptor web, factors such as the image zone, the interval zone, and the area for a drip line removing operation should be taken into consideration. For example, a lengthy photoreceptor web increases the cost and takes more space in the printer. Hence, a photoreceptor web having an optimized length, which does not need a large installation space in the printer and also guarantees that all the above operations are performed smoothly, is needed.
Exemplars of the art, U.S. Pat. No. 5,557,377 for Single Pass, In-line Color Electrophotographic Printer with Interspersed Erase Device issued to Loewen, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,055,397 for Photoreceptor Web Steering Apparatus for Printer issued to Lee, U.S. Pat. No. 5,229,813 for Composite Backup Roller Assembly issued to Cherian, U.S. Pat. No. 4,400,083 for Electrostatic Printer Drum Improvements issued to Beisty, et al. disclose liquid electrophotographic color printers. I have found that the background art does not teach an optimized length of the photoreceptor web.